Box Score } Tickets for Indiana State Game
 
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Missouri State dug itself a substantial hole in the first half and was unable to get back on track from there in a 95-66 road setback to Northern Iowa here Wednesday. 
 
Missouri State (10-12, 4-5 MVC) was led by 16 points from Keandre Cook with Tulio Da Silva adding 11 points and 7 rebounds off the bench with no turnovers. Ja'Monta Black and Gaige Prim added 10 points apiece for the Bears.
 
A.J. Green, who played 37 minutes in the lopsided affair, led Northern Iowa's scoring with 27 points behind five 3-pointers.
 
The Bears countered a quick 14-5 start by the Panthers (18-3, 7-2), with a 7-0 run engineered by Ja'Monta Black, Da Silva and Cook after four Panther 3-pointers in the first two-plus minutes of the game.
 
After Tywhon Pickford buried UNI's fifth trey at the 14:43 mark, the Bears retaliated with a bucket from Da Silva and two free throws from Cook to make it a 17-16 game.
 
Later in the first half, Ford Cooper Jr., followed a Da Silva basket with a corner 3-pointer to end a 6-0 outburst from the Panthers and make it a 23-21 contest with 10:18 remaining before the intermission.
 
But Missouri State would collect just two field goals over the next eight minutes while UNI stretched its advantage with precision shooting and quick ball movement, going 9-of-16 from 3-point range and 8-of-10 at the line with 12 assists in the opening stanza to lead 51-31 at the break.
 
UNI's assault continued in the second half, dropping in three consecutive triples in one stretch that put the Panthers up by 27. In the final seconds of the game, Antwan Kimmons scored a layup to give the home team its biggest lead of the night, 95-66.
 
Missouri State finished 23-of-55 (.418) from the field, 7-of-20 (.350) from 3-point range and 13-of-19 (.684) from the line
 
The Panthers out-rebounded the Bears, 33-27, and converted 32-of-55 (.582) shots overall and 17-of-32 (.531) from bonus range, including five by Green, four by Trae Berhow and four by Spencer Haldeman. UNI also converted 14-of-17 (.824) at the four line.
 
The Bears return to JQH Arena on Saturday to take on Indiana State at 3 p.m.
 
Tickets for the Indiana State game, and all home contests, are available at MissouriStateBears.com, or by visiting the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.